Gov Eno Felicitates Professor Ekong On Emergence As Substantive UNIUYO VC

By Bassey Nkponam 
UYO
Governor Umo Eno has felicitated the newly sworn-in vice chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Professor Christopher Ekong, on his emergence as the substantive vice chancellor of the institution, urging him to be magnanimous in victory and focus on maintaining excellent academic standard for the university.
Eno, who made the remark, Wednesday, when he received the chairman, Governing Council of the University, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), and members of the institution’s management team, on a courtesy visit in his office, at Government House, Uyo, advised Ekong to draw a line from the past administration, focus on going forward, and resist the urge to probe, as such could derail him from track.
Describing the new vice chancellor as a square peg in a square hole, being an erudite scholar and given his cognate experience in the public service, the governor congratulated him on his well-deserved emergence and expressed confidence in his capacity to deliver on the assignment.
“Let me again, on behalf of the government and people of Akwa Ibom State, congratulate you on this well-deserved appointment.
“You are carrying into your new role cognate experience garnered through your work in the public service, having once served as a member of the State Executive Council of this great State, and now at the apex of academic excellence and administration.
“We have implicit faith in your capacity to deliver big on your new assignment. You have all it takes to make the University of Uyo, the Ivy-League of the Nigerian public university system and we are rooting for all the way,” he said.
Eno appreciated the Visitor of the University, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for approving Ekong’s appointment as the 9th substantive vice chancellor of UNIUYO, the minister of education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the immediate past acting vice chancellor, Professor Samuel Adewumi, for seamlessly managing the process that led to the emergence of a substantive vice chancellor of the institution.
According to Eno, the State remains committed to investments in education, and his administration will continue to pay bursary to support the students.
Eno also assured the university management of his administration’s willingness to support and partner the institution for its growth and the general good of the State and beyond.
Presenting the new vice chancellor to the governor, the pro-chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Banire (SAN), describing Ekong as not just an indigenous vice chancellor, but an experienced leader who has contributed his quota to the development of the State, and always ready to serve, thanking the governor for the warm reception accorded his team.
Banire thanked Eno for his numerous intervention projects within the University, and applauded him for his giant strides, visionary and impactful leadership which has traversed across all the local government areas in the State. 
In his remark, Ekong appreciated the governor for his continued support to the university, and assured that he will work hard to maintain the institution’s academic excellence and justify the confidence reposed in him.